When you think of the Honda Accord, think of that hard-working guy in the corner of your office whose first name you hardly remember, the one who isn't really brilliant at anything but who succeeds because he can do absolutely everything quite well.

That same kind of versatility is responsible for the Accord's incredible success. The Accord has redefined the family sedan by offering a near-perfect combination of performance and comfort. It's durable, and it's really good at everything. It's big enough to haul the kids to school without everyone feeling cramped, but small enough for commuting and parking convenience.

On weekends, the Accord is like your favorite traveling clothes; it goes anywhere. The trunk is big enough to hold all the soccer or skating gear. It's quiet and comfortable enough on the freeway to make a long weekend trip enjoyable, and stylish enough for even a formal evening on the town.

Every part of the car has been repeatedly refined through five major redesigns, the most recent in 1994. Refined is the key word here; the development of the Accord has definitely been evolutionary rather than revolutionary. But even though 1997 will be the last model year for this generation, there are still several notable improvements.

The result of Honda's continuing efforts is a thoroughly refined mid-size entry that has been one of the top two selling cars in the U.S. since 1989, and has been repeatedly praised in quality studies and car enthusiast magazines.